Identifying problems and finding solutions to downtown vacancies
Available to members only
If you’d like us to present this topic at your event or conference, just ask.
What will this webinar workshop cover?
You want to fill up those empty buildings downtown, but all the economic development strategies you find sound like they were written for big cities. You want help that works for a small town! We have that help. Join us for this webinar, and you’ll hear a dozen ideas to inspire action, fill those buildings with businesses and boost the prosperity of your town.
How do you start? And how do you get reluctant building owners to work with you? You’ll get real-world examples of how small communities that have turned empty buildings into busy places. We’ll talk about the best place to look for local opportunities in your town. We’ll cover some common barriers and how to breach them, and we’ll share special strategies for getting past the automatic “no” from those impossible property owners.
And if you’ve been waiting for us to talk about the Tour of Empty Buildings, this is it! That’s just one of the ideas, though. Expect to hear more about shared spaces, pop-ups, and even what to do with those buildings that are in bad shape.
Register Now
Available to members only
How long will it run? How long do I need to schedule for a replay?
We wrapped up the presentation in just over one hour, then we stayed about 10 minutes late to answer questions.
You can bring friends:
Once you’re registered, you can schedule more than one viewing so you reach as many people as possible.
We allow you to invite friends, and to hold replays in your town, as long as you’re personally present each time. You have the flexibility to make the most of your replay.
Who should you invite?
- Downtown associations, Main Streets, Chambers
- Economic development folks
- Elected officials, cities, towns, municipalities
- The boys at the coffee shops
- Those who want to revitalize their downtowns
- People who own vacant buildings
- Visionaries like yourself
What are your webinar workshops like? Will there be slides?
Our webinars are actually workshops with streaming video. You see our faces. We connect with you personally. We give you a downloadable handout instead of boring slides, and we focus on real-world examples, not statistics. Your downloadable handout will have photos, more info and links for all the examples.
What people who’ve been to Becky and Deb’s previous webinar workshops have to say:
“Lots of great ideas for small rural towns and small business owners who just want to try something out or expand their businesses. It’s so much about building a community and telling the stories about what works. Great presenters as well, who are obviously passionate and genuine about what they do, and embody economic development in their everyday work.”
Kathleen Code, British Columbia, Canada
“Your webinars are just so precious. Increase them. Do them repetitively. I wish I could fill an auditorium with our local chamber of commerce leaders and boards to hear you both.”
Jim Blankenship, Tennessee
“This webinar stimulated lots of note-taking and conversation between the business owners gathered at my house. Deb and Becky gave us some new ideas and several excellent examples of known models. I think some of us are thinking of pivoting our summer’s plans after participating in Wednesday’s event. Thanks for a well-thought out presentation!”
Jonya, Oronoco, Minnesota, RochesterFiber.com
“I watched the webinar video last night. It was great. I think you and Deb make good team. Nice banter, good pacing, and lots of useful information. Excellent!”
Cindy Kelly, Kansas
Earn Credit for Attending:
Oklahoma Main Street Communities can earn Quality Assurance Points by participating.
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